134 Craigmillar and its Environs. 



midsummer's day, however, that Flora's treasures 

 are thus spread out here to view, for each season 

 reveals its own special beauties — whether it be the 

 budding time of the year, — 



" When Daisies pied and Violets blue, 

 And Lady-smocks all silver-white, 

 And Cuckoo-buds of yellow hue 



Do paint the meadows with delight ; " — 



or more sober autumn, with its knapweeds and thistles 

 and wild grasses. One little gem of spring, said to 

 be only found in a few places in Scotland and at the 

 Lizard Point in Cornwall, is here so abundant as to 

 merit particular notice. This is the Vernal Sandwort 

 (the Arenaria verna of Linnaeus) — a tiny plant, seldom 

 more than three or four inches high, with com- 

 paratively large, white, star-shaped flowers, which 

 bespangle the turf in spring-time and early summer. 

 It is mentioned by Lightfoot as growing abundantly 

 on Arthur's Seat in his time, and no doubt flourished 

 in the same locality long before that period. 



Any general notice such as this of the flora of 

 Arthur's Seat and Salisbury Crags would be incom- 



